Portugal Parliament Approves Bill to Ban Face Veils in Public Spaces
- SAUDI ARABIA BREAKING NEWS
- Oct 19
- 2 min read
Lisbon, October 19 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Portugal’s parliament on Friday approved a bill to ban face veils worn for “gender or religious motives” in most public spaces, a measure proposed by the far-right Chega party that effectively targets burqas and niqabs worn by Muslim women.
Under the legislation, fines between €200 and €4,000 ($234–$4,671) would be imposed for wearing face veils in public. Forcing someone to wear one would be punishable by up to three years in prison. The bill allows face coverings only in airplanes, diplomatic premises, and places of worship.
If enacted, the law would place Portugal among several European countries—including France, Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands—that already enforce full or partial bans on face veils. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa retains the option to veto the bill or refer it to the Constitutional Court for review.
The parliamentary session was marked by heated debate. Chega leader Andre Ventura, who introduced the bill, faced opposition from several female lawmakers from left-wing parties but gained support from the centre-right coalition, ensuring the bill’s passage.
“We are today protecting female members of parliament, your daughters, our daughters, from having to use burqas in this country one day,” Ventura said during the session.
Andreia Neto, a lawmaker from the ruling Social Democratic Party, stated: “This is a debate on equality between men and women. No woman should be forced to veil her face.”
While the number of Muslim women wearing full-face coverings in Portugal is extremely small, the proposal has reignited wider European debates over religious freedom, gender rights, and security concerns surrounding face veils.
